5/23/09 - More Earthquake Potential? Emergency Preparedness.

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It shouldn't surprise us that there is a lot more to learn about earthquakes. And here in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, we are doing that. The U.S. Geological Survey has released information that there are signs that the earthquake fault that runs under South Whidbey Island is larger than previously understood. The estimated potential of this fault has been calculated to 7.8 on the MMS

Lets draw attention back to the Nisqually intraslab earthquake which occurred at 10:54 a.m. PST (18:54 UTC), February 28, 2001. Measuring at 6.8 on the MMS and lasting approximately 45 seconds, it was one of the largest recorded earthquakes in Washington State history. The epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 32 miles. Tremors were felt as far away as Portland, Oregon, across the border in Vancouver, Canada, and over 170 miles east into Pasco, Washington.

The event caused some property damage in Seattle and the surrounding areas. Although there were no reports of deaths directly from the earthquake, local news agencies reported that there was one death from a stress-related heart condition at the time of the earthquake with the addition of 400 injuries.

So lets not become complacent on our communications readiness. Make a habit of reviewing your personal emergency procedures for you and your family. It may be a good idea to let your employer know of your abilities as an emergency communicator as this could be beneficial to allowing time to spent in this activity. Have your emergency numbers programmed in and look into plans on where to meet during a localized event. And... How about your personal "Go Kit". There are many places on the Internet to get information on what you should have on hand.

Being prepared is the key to being able to provide emergency communications. As amateur radio operators, the community looks towards us for our leadership in this area till things normalize after a major event.